Human Nature
by LunarLotus123
Summary: Miranda Nichols is a brand new agent to the BAU and adjusting will take time.
1. Chapter 1

_**"And so, all the night-tide,**_

_** I lay down by the side**_

_** Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride. **_

_**In the sepulchre there by the sea. In her tomb by the sounding sea."**_

_**~Edgar Allan Poe.**_

"Nichols...NICHOLS!"

Agent Rossi of the FBI's BAU stood beside a desk where a woman with chin length red hair, green eyes and pale ivory skin had fallen asleep amidst a sea of files and paperwork.

Hearing his voice though jolted her awake, causing some of the files to fall to her lap and the floor, "Agent Rossi...I'm sorry sir. I tried to pull an all nighter...guess it didn't work too well..."

"That's fine. I just didn't want you to be late to the briefing. Confrence room, five minutes," the older man said walking away.

Miranda Nichols was a fairly new analyst to the BAU and was still adjusting to life outside of the academy. Having just moved from Scotland to Washington D.C., she was still getting used to the culture difference. Her accent often made people uncomfortable as well.

After a very quick clean up, Miranda quickly grabbed her legal pad and quickly walked to the conference room.

J.J. was already starting the breifing, so Miranda sat at the far edge of the table, making sure to keep quiet.

"Four young blonde women - all missing from the Olympia area in the past five months. The first one was taken nine months ago, was found in the woods yesterday."

After explaining, J.J. put the picture up on the screen.

"She almost looks mummified..." Miranda commented, looking over it carefully.

"Not quite. The coroner found that she was embalmed post mortem," J.J. said handing the files out.

"Were they able to determine a time of death?" Reid asked flipping through the pages.

"The body was discovered after a mudslide in the national park and the unnatural decay makes it almost impossible."

Rossi closed his file and stood up, "Well then. We'd better get to Washington."

* * *

On the plane, Miranda was seated towards the back, away from the rest of the team.

Prentis, who had been sitting across from Reid, saw this and decided to go over talk to her, "How're you adjusting?"

"Agent Prentis...I'm fine. Thanks," Miranda replied smiling a little.

"You don't have to use the agent...it's just Prentis," the dark haired woman explained sitting down beside her, "I know it can be hard, getting used to this life. Just give it some time."

"Thanks. I guess it is a little strange...going from one day out of the academy to field work in the same week. I'm curious...Age-I mean Hotchner," Miranda said closing her file again and turning to Prentis, "Why did he pick me? There were students in my class that were way more qualified than me."

"Hotch can be a bit mysterious. Give it time though. You'll figure it out soon," Prentis said standing back up and walking back over to where she was sitting before.

* * *

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

After landing, the group started their separate ways.

J.J. was off with Rossi to talk to the family, while Hotchner and the rest of the team were headed to the crime scene.

The drive was rather quiet, Hotch, Prentise and Morgan in one care while Miranda and Reid followed.

After a bit, Reid spoke up, hoping to break the awkward silence, "How are you adjusting to life in the states?"

"It's...different...It will take some time. I am definitely not used to American food yet though," Miranda replied not looking up from her file.

"I have a question," Reid asked looking curiously at the new girl, "Being Scottish, I take it you've tried haggis?"

The red head couldn't help but laugh a bit at this, "Yeah, I have. And I can definitely say I cannay stand it."

"Fair enough. Although...your last name isn't exactly typical of Scotland. It falls more along the lines of German, British or Greek," the blond boy said, a true hint of curiosity in his voice, "I take it you're only half?"

"Close...my biological parents are Scottish. My parents divorced though and when my mother remarried we took my step-fathers Greek last name," Miranda explained, "My turn. Why with all the questions?"

"I feel that the purpose in life is to learn new things all the time. You know-"

"We're here," Miranda interrupted, her face becoming serious once she saw the cops and crime tape.

The area taped off was a small area of a park, where the most recent woman was last seen.

While Hotch and Prentise talked to the detective, Miranda and Reid were already looking around for anything out of the ordinary.

As she looked around, Miranda steadily tapped the fingers of her right hand to her thumb in a certain pattern.

"You're counting?" Reid asked looking curiously at her.

"No...just something I do," Miranda replied, half distracted, her eyes scanning every little detail.

"Nichols!" After a few moments, Hotch called out to the new recruit as he beckoned her closer.

'Yes sir?" she asked walking over.

"What do you think of this unsub?"

"Well...whoever he is...he's clean. There's no sign of blood or unnecessary struggle. And judging by the fact that they are embalmed after he killed them in almost perfect condition...he cares about them," Miranda said combining what she had seen so far and what she had read about the victims in the file.

"You're good...that matches up with what the others though...I want you to go with Reid and Morgan to the coroners office," Hotch explained before returning to the detective.

Morgan was already headed to the car when Miranda started over, Reid on the other hand was in the back seat already.

Seeing as how she had no real choice, Miranda sat down in the front passenger side seat.

"You don't talk much, do ya?" Morgan asked Miranda once they started down the road.

"Not really..."

"How come? You seem like a smart woman, at least from what I've seen in the file. I'm sure you could strike up a good conversation," Derek said smiling a bit, "The accent is kinda neat too."

Miranda felt a bit embarrassed but just chuckled a bit, "Never really had much need. I was kind of a loner growing up...in the academy I studied on my own. Just never really seemed to need to converse."

"You know, sometimes, if a person grows up in an unstable environment they end up keeping quiet in order to prevent issues like those they grew up with," Reid said as they pulled into the parking lot.

"Reid...you are a fountain of useless information," Derek said jokingly.

Miranda hadn't taken it so lightly though, as she got out, she slammed the door behind her and hurried inside.

* * *

To Be Continued


End file.
